Indonesia rejects intervention over schools’ alleged links with Gulen

Horizon International School, Indonesia
Horizon International School, Indonesia


Date posted: July 29, 2016

Jakarta (ANTARA News) – Indonesia rejects any intervention with the country’s internal affairs including over alleged links of a number of Indonesian Islamic boarding schools with Fethullah Gulen, a popular imam, accused by the Turkish government of masterminding a recent failed coup attempt in that country.

Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said here on Friday Indonesia is a democratic country that consistently adopts active and independent policy.

Fethullah Gulen is a popular Turkish imam, the founder of the Islamic Transnational Religious and Social Movement, now living in the United States.

He was repeatedly accused by the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of being behind the recent failed coup attempt by a faction of the Turkish military.

On Thursday (July 28) the Turkish embassy issued a news release asking the Indonesian government to close all schools having links with Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

The release gave a list of 9 schools allegedly having links with the Gulen movement including 1. Pribadi Bilingual Boarding School of Depok, 2. Pribadi Bilingual Boarding School of Bandung, 3. Kharisma Bangsa Bilingual School in South Tangerang, 4. Semesta Bangsa Bilingual Boarding School in Semarang, 5. Kesatuan Bangsa Bilingual Boarding School in Yogyakarta, 6. Sragen Bilingual Boarding School in Sragen, 7. Fatih Boys Shool in Aceh, 8. Fatih Girls School in Aceh, 9. Banua Bilingual Boarding School in South Kalimantan.

Earlier on Friday Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Saifuddin said the Indonesian Government is still studying the request.

He said the Religious Affairs Ministry wants to know if the Turkish government referred to public schools or Islamic schools having any links with Gulen.

“If what they referred to is Islamic schools, it would be for the Religious Affairs Ministry to answer, but otherwise it would be for the Ministry of Education to answer,” he said.

After studying the request the Indonesia government would officially send its answer via the Turkish embassy here, the minister said.

However, Pramono said until now there has been no official request from the Turkish government as said in the news release issued by the embassy.(*)

Source: Antara News , July 29, 2016

Tags: | | | | |


Related News

‘We won’t stop the witch-hunt’ AKP parliamentary group deputy chair says

Speaking to reporters in Parliament on Saturday, AKP deputy Bulent Turan was responding to criticism from opposition parties accusing the AKP government of enforcing decrees during the ongoing state of emergency merely to silence dissident voices. “We won’t stop hunting [dissidents] merely because of criticism that there is witch-hunt [against dissidents],” Turan said.

The Gulen Institute Youth Platform has announced its fifth international essay contest

The Gulen Institute Youth Platform, which is located in Texas, has announced its fifth international essay contest, which is open to all high school students in grades 9th through 12th currently enrolled in public or private schools from all over the world.  Students are invited to address global challenges and propose potential solutions based on […]

Turkish schools help to enhance trade relations with Africa

  BURSA African businessmen and ambassadors stress that they have developed trade relations with Turkey thanks to Turkish schools acting as bridges in their countries, although the ruling Justice and Development (AK Party) government is planning to shut down Turkish schools abroad that are affiliated with the movement of Islamic Turkish scholar Fethullah Gülen. Speaking […]

Turkish schools key to success in Africa

It is very pleasing to hear that, just as in Uganda, a prime minister mentions Turkish schools out of the blue and these schools have strong ties to the highest profile officials, as well as to civil society groups and even members of minority religions in those countries. Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister Bülent […]

U.S. schools are indirectly linked to preacher, often well-regarded

Even before the revolt, this network was already in Erdogan’s sights. Critics say Gulen gets payments from supporters doing contract work on the schools or from “donations” made by Turkish instructors brought to the U.S. on special visas to teach at them, charges he has rejected. Several charter chains thought to be related to the Gulen movement have been investigated by local authorities for misusing taxpayer dollars, but the inquiries haven’t resulted in charges of wrong doing.

Deputies: Turkish Olympiads best response to voices against Hizmet

Independent deputies who attended the Pakistani leg of the annual International Turkish Olympiads, held in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad on Monday evening, have praised the event, stating that the event itself is the best response to unpleasant voices against the Hizmet movement.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

GYV calls on government to respect judiciary amid corruption probe

Men accused of attempting to rape 6 teachers: We thought they were Gulenists

Opposition CHP to take Gül-approved dershane law to Constitutional Court

Pioneer Academy of Science to Move to a New Campus

Pakistan – Staff expelled from Turkish-backed schools on Erdogan’s demand

Gulen Slams Turkey Crackdown Before Erdogan Demands Extradition

Turkey-Japan Media Forum kicks off in İstanbul

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News